The ‘Stories of Resilience’ Series
By  Mariya Rajan

February 8, 2025

Rashmi D’Souza, a software professional in Bengaluru, Karnataka, never imagined her husband would become abusive. In the presence of her two daughters, he continued his abusive behavior until a "guardian angel" intervened. This person offered her sound advice, but ultimately, it was Rashmi's own courage that led her to accept and act upon it.

Rashmi is among millions of women in India and around the world who endure physical and mental abuse.

Marital abuse remains a significant concern in India. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), nearly 30% of married Indian women have faced some form of domestic violence. This prevalence is more pronounced in rural areas, where about 34% of women report such experiences, compared to 27% in urban settings. Despite varying educational levels, spousal violence persists, with around 20% of women with higher education and belonging to wealthier quintiles reporting abuse​.

The NFHS data from 2019-2021 further revealed that 29.3% of married women aged between 18 and 49 had experienced domestic or sexual violence. Alarmingly, this abuse also occurs among pregnant women, with 3.1% reporting physical violence during their pregnancy. Despite the high incidence of abuse, a vast majority of victims, about 87%, do not seek any form of help​.

Moreover, the types of marital abuse vary, with physical violence such as slapping being the most common. Further, about 5% of women reported forced sexual intercourse by their husbands – marital rape, which remains a non-criminalised offence in India except under specific circumstances.